Mail-delivery apparatus.



Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

P. H. STULTZ. MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 31, 1912.

PETER H. STULTZ, OF

SUPPLY, OKLAHOMA.

MAIL-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

Application filed. August 31, 1912. Serial No. 718,149.

T0 all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, PETER H. STULTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Supply; in the county of Woodward and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MaileDelivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of mail delivery apparatus consisting of an elevated cable rail on which travels a carrier by means of which the mail is delivered from the roadway to the residence of the patron, the apparatus being designed more particularly for rural mail routes to save the patron the trouble of going from his residence to the roadway for the mail.

Tt is the object of the present invention to provide a simple, eiiicient and easily operated apparatus of the kind stated, and furthermore to provide a novel connection between the carrier and the hauling line thereof whereby the latter is effectually prevented from fouling.

In the accompanying drawing` forming a part of this specication, Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carrier. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, parts broken away.

Referring specically to the drawing, 5 denotes the suspended cable rail on which the carrier 6 travels back and forth between the roadway and the residence of the patron. The cable is connected at its ends to posts 7 and it is supported intermediate its ends, at suitable intervals, by bracket arms 8 mounted on, and extending outward from posts 9 a sufficient distance so that the latter do not interfere with or obstruct the passage of the carrier. The extremity of the bracket/arm has an upward bend 10 in the top of which is a groove forming a seat for the cable.

The carrier 6 is a cylindrical receptacle having cone-shaped ends 11, one of which ends is hinged, as indicated at 12, so that it may be swung open to obtain access to the interior of the receptacle, and said end has a suitable latch 13 for holding it closed. The receptacle 6 is suspended from a carriage which is constructed to travel on the cable 5. This carriage comprises two lat erally spaced plates 14 which are connected at the top and straddle the cable. Between the plates are mounted grooved rollers 15 vwhich travel on the cable. From one of the plates 14 depend hanger bars 1G which are fastened to the top of the receptacle 6.

The carriage is propelled by means of an endless hauling line 17, one end of which is made fast to a tongue 18 which is pivotally connected at 19 to the top of the carriage to swing in a horizontal plane. The other end of the line is made fast to a similar tongue 20. These tongues are located, respectively, at the ends of the carriage, and they are connected by a rod or link 21 in such a manner that when one of the tongues extends forward in the direction of the line of travel of the carriage, the other tongue extends sidewise from the carriage at an angle thereto. The two ends of the hauling line are made fast to the free ends of the tongues. The purpose of the herein described connection between the carriage and the hauling line will be presently described. The hauling line 17 passes over suitable guide pulleys 22 on the posts 7 and from the intermediate posts 9 extend retaining arms 23, the arms for the lower run of the line having a downward curve, and the arms for the upper run an upward curve. Inasmuch as the hauling line 17, if it is of any considerable length, is liable to sag, provision has been made whereby it is prevented from catching on the bracket arms S. The means whereby this is effected is the hereinbefore described connection between the line and the carriage.

The operation is as follows: Fig. 2 shows that end of the line which is connected to the tongue 18 being pulled to haul the carriage. The tongue has ybeen swung by the pull so as to extend forward from the carriage in the direction of the line of travel thereof, and the connection 21 between said tongue and the tongue 2O has swung the latter sidewise so as to bring the end of the line, which is connected to said tongue 20, to one side of the carriage. The last mentioned end of the line if it sags, therefore will not catch on the bends 10 of the bracket arms 8 but will drop on the outstanding horizontal portion thereof; The first mentioned end of t-he line is taut as the pull is on said end. When the carriage is pulled in the opposite direction, the position of the tongues and the two ends of the line is, of course, reversed. The hauling line 17 is operated by a suitable winding device 24C mounted on the post 7 at the residence end 'electric signal device 27 may also be pro- Y vided, the same being controlled by a switch 28 located on the post Tat the road end ot' the line. The receptacle 6 may be provided with a flag or other signal 29 to give notice to the mail carrier that the receptacle contains mail matter to be collected.

I claim:

l. The combination of rail, a carriage mounted for travel thereon, a. hauling line connected to the ends of the carriage, and means whereby the hauling end of the line swings the other end thereof to one side of the carriage.

2. The combination of a rail, a carriage For long mounted for travel thereon, a hauling lino for the carriage, and connected swinging members on the carriage at the ends thereot,

to which members the line is connected, the

member to which the hauling end of the line is connected swinging the other member to one side of the carriage.

3. The combination of a rail, a carriage mounted for travel thereon, pivoted tongues on the ends of the carriage, a hauling line connected to the tongues, and a connection between the tongues.

4. rlhe combination of a rail, a carriage mounted for travel thereon, pivoted tongues on the ends of the carriage, a hauling line connected to the tongues, and a connection between the tongues to swing one of said tongues sidewise of the carriage when the other tongue extends in the direction of the line of travel of the carriage.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER H. STULTZ.

Witnesses CAROL lV. GRIP PIN, F. H. BAXTER.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

